EU solar firms request China anti-dumping probe

26 July 2012 19:26[Source: ICIS news]

LONDON (ICIS)--A group of 25 European solar panel firms, including ?xml:namespace>Germany’s Solarworld, have joined to file a request with the European Commission to investigate alleged dumping of solar panels and modules by Chinese producers, they said on Thursday.

The group’s spokesman, Milan Nitzschke, said the Chinese firms were trying to wipe out western producers in an effort to totally dominate the global market.

“We will not stand for this, there are trade rules, and we want those trade rules to be applied,” Nitzschke said in announcing the move.

The Commission is expected to decide by mid-September on whether to follow up on the firms' request to impose anti-dumping duties.

Germany’s environment minister said last week that the country was considering whether anti-dumping measures against solar panels from China should be initiated to create fair market competition.

Germany saw a number of high-profile insolvencies in its solar industry over past months amid tough international market competition, overcapacities, pricing pressures and cuts in German government subsidies for the sector.

Germany-based chemicals firm Wacker Chemie has said it is opposed to EU duties on solar modules imported from China as this could deter the development of the photovoltaic (PV) industry.

Earlier this year, the US already imposed anti-dumping duties on photovoltaic (PV) products from China.